On Sat i bumped into a fella on the Thames path, he was at the side of the trail, so i stopped to see if he was OK.

It transpires he’d snapped his chain and was therefore stranded.

Luckily i had my chain-tool in the seat pack and soon had the pins out and was ready to fit a quick link. Which happily for him, i also had in my pack.

Sadly though, it was a 10 speed KMC link, he had i think a 7-8 speed chain on there and no matter what i tried i just couldn’t get the link to work on his chain. The pins wouldn’t slot through on both sides fully, so i couldn’t close the link.

In the end, he had a 4 mile walk… Sorry fella.

Anything i could have done ?

Break the chain.

Remove damaged link.

Reuse pin.

Tell him to be careful going onto the big ring.

I actualy carry pins aswell as quick links.

As above, remove damaged link and close the chain with next undamaged link. Chain will be a bit shorter but should be fine.

That is the way we used to do it before quick links.

Hmmmm interesting. I’ve done the Shimano pin thing in the past, but never entered my head to use the pin i’d just removed.

Just don’t completely remove the pin. Then push it back in after removing the broken link.

Reusing pins works OK up to 8 speed I think. After that you need to use the special joining pins. As above, don’t push the old one right out.

just don’t completely remove the pin.

This – it’s how we used to join (SRAM) chains before quick links. Stop pushing the pin out so it’s still held in place by the side plate. Then you can re-join it.

Doesn’t work with Shimano chains so well as their pins are “flared” at the end. S’why they have a separate joining pin (pain in the bum that they are)

Pic:

As above partially push the pin out and it’ll push back in. Ideally push it out so it that it still holds the chain together but comes apart with a slight bend, so you have a small stub of pin still sticking out on the inside.

If you are missing tools or something goes horribly wrong you can still make a semi-ride-able bike by joining the chain with a cable tie, or even a bit of string, and then pump the pedals, keeping the tie in slack bit of chain at the bottom. You’ll probably rip the mech off if forget and do a proper stroke though. Depending on the terrain this can be better than walking.

Then don’t forget the final checks 🙂

1/ Dig in your tool box, you’ll probably have an old 8spd powerlink or two in there.

2/ Get a bank coin bag

3/ Insert 1 into 2

4/ Insert 3/ into your hollow axle / seatpost / (Mine are actually inside my stem between SFN and the topcap)

You can bodge a repair on 8/9/10/11/probably 12 too with an 8spd to save a walk home. You can’t as you found out put a 10 on an 8.

One day you’ll save someones legs and carrying those extra few grams around all that time will be as nothing to the happiness that’ll give you.

Doesn’t work with Shimano chains so well as their pins are “flared” at the end. S’why they have a separate joining pin (pain in the bum that they are)

Shimano did it first (8 speed IIRC) now everyone does it. Certainly 9/10/11/12 are all flared or mushroomed. Pretty sure almost all 8s are as well.

Doesn’t work with Shimano chains so well as their pins are “flared” at the end. S’why they have a separate joining pin (pain in the bum that they are)

It works enough to get you home, not great as a long term fix though. However if it doesn’t work them I’m not sure how I fixed so many over the years.